When the company that has brought us some of the most successful and best iron franchises in history releases new iron products, the golf world sits up and takes note.
Today sees the release of two new models aimed at becoming among the best Ping irons but at different areas of the market. The Ping i530 will sit in the player's distance irons category with its more blade-like shaping and dimensions, whereas the new Ping G730 targets the higher handicap player looking for launch, speed, and above all forgiveness. Let’s take a deeper dive…
Ping i530 Iron
The i530 iron will replace the i525 iron and is targeting golfers in search of more distance who desire the look and dimensions of a traditional blade. It is a premium iron model engineered to deliver higher ball speeds alongside precision.
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“The continued popularity of distance irons has been an interesting and fun challenge for our engineers, especially in the players category where there is such an emphasis on the look of the iron,” said John K. Solheim, Ping CEO & President.
“In the case of the i530 iron, we’ve developed a stunning design that delivers significant distance gains through its innovative face technology along with the added benefit of control. We refer to it as a ‘playable distance’ iron. It appeals to the golfer whose primary goal is more distance who also relies on the precision of a player-style iron. That means longer iron shots with the consistency and predictability to stop the ball closer to the hole.”
The distance gains of the i530 come from an internal weight pad that provides a deeper and thinner face-to-sole transition, ensuring more face flexing and pushing mass down to lower the centre of gravity for more ball speed. Ping has also forged a flexible maraging steel face that is welded to a hollow body which has polymer applied behind the face to improve sound and support the face flexion.
As with most of the Ping range, three loft configurations (Standard, Power, and Retro) are available to tune in your flight requirements.
Admirers of the best golf blade irons will enjoy the thin top line, narrow sole and shallow face height. The i530’s clean, premium look features a new machining technique that thins the back wall of the hollow-body design, saving weight to increase forgiveness and tighten dispersion for greater accuracy along with the added distance. Precision-milled MicroMax grooves combine with the hydropearl chrome 2.0 finish to ensure consistent launch and spin from all conditions. The UK RRP will be £190 per club with stock steel shaft; £200 per club with stock graphite shaft
Ping G730 Iron
In addition to the i530, Ping has launched a distance iron offering high launch and maximum forgiveness iron in the form of the G730.
“The G730 irons are engineered for golfers who can benefit from more distance and a higher level of forgiveness and consistency to shoot lower scores,” said John K. Solheim, Ping CEO & President. “The new G730 brings them all that in an easy-to-hit, confidence-inspiring design. It’s the longest and most forgiving iron in our current lineup and is a great solution to help maximise the performance of a lot of golfers. We’re excited to bring them an iron that’s engineered to make the game easier and more enjoyable.”
Ping's main target with G730 was providing ultimate ball speed across the entire face to help shots fly further and higher for less competent ball strikers. A new heat treatment to the steel has allowed the engineers to thin out the new larger face of the G730 which allows it to flex more creating significant ball speed gains.
The larger face expands the hitting surface, giving more hittable surface area and making it one of the most forgiving irons on the market. The PurFlex cavity badge, something we saw on the G430 irons with multiple flex zones, helps control face bending while enhancing feel and producing a powerful sound. A wider sole along with a larger head has boosted to MOI of the G730 and facilitated a lower CG location to help with the launch.
There is slightly more offset in the cavity-back design, which will no doubt appeal to the slicers out there looking for the best game improvement irons. Ping’s excellent Hydropearl Chrome 2.0 finish helps ensure consistent launch results from varying conditions.
To increase distance but also optimize gaps to best fit the golfer, the standard lofts are custom-engineered to provide set configurations that maximize performance throughout the bag. The four wedges in the set go up to 56° and feature machined faces and grooves for added control. The option of Power (stronger) and Retro (weaker) spec lofts allows further customization options. The UK RRP will be £180 per club with stock steel shaft; £190 per club with stock graphite shaft
Samples are arriving with us very shortly, so look out for the full in-depth reviews coming very soon to Golf Monthly.
